GFG partners with SRMC for an academy in Chennai

Gagan Narang’s Gun for Glory (GFG) shooting academy will team up with Centre for Sports Science (CSS) at the Sri Ramachandra Medical College to start an academy at their campus here from May 23.

Last November, Project Leap – an ambitious plan of the Gagan Narang Sports Promotion Foundation (GNSPF) – had conducted an 11-day shooting camp at the SRMC campus. “I was very impressed by the facilities available at the SRMC which are truly world-class. The aim of this academy is to spot the best shooting talents, train and nurture them here. Ultimately, the vision is to bring Olympic medals for India in shooting and we hope this academy is a major boost in that direction,” Gagan told TOI.

The ace shooter felt the camp in November gave him a sense of what shooters can expect when they hone their skills at the SRMC. “Very few institutes in the country can boast of what SRMC has in terms of the shooting range and other amenities which are needed for any shooter,” he said.

However, the London Olympics bronze medallist will not be able make it for the inauguration as he is currently training in Germany. Gagan shares a deep bond with the city and felt it was the right time to start an academy. “I was born in Chennai and the first time I ever held a gun in my hand was a toy gun at the Marina beach. My association with the city goes back a long way. To top that, shooters from Tamil Nadu are making a mark on the national and international scene and I hope the sport gets a fillip with this initiative of ours,” he said.

While this may be GFG’s maiden venture in Tamil Nadu, it has been successfully running academies in Mumbai, Pune, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Jabalpur, Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar, Ahmedabad and Gurgaon.